Does using the regular A/C (not Max) use anymore gasoline when the ICE is running? I am kind of bummed about the results i get from the A/C. WHen i am in electric mode, the A/C does not produce dool air, it gets warm and humid. But when ICE kicks in the cool is back, it is kind of a pain.

Thanks for any input!

Mark

06-06-2007 05:19 AM

GaryG

Quote:

Originally Posted by Labbett Family

Does using the regular A/C (not Max) use anymore gasoline when the ICE is running? I am kind of bummed about the results i get from the A/C. WHen i am in electric mode, the A/C does not produce dool air, it gets warm and humid. But when ICE kicks in the cool is back, it is kind of a pain.

Thanks for any input!

Mark

The first summer I got my worst mileage ever because of the A/C. No matter what, when the compressor is running for the battery, cabin or both, the ICE will use the same amount of gas. Max A/C as you know will not allow EV, so it will hurt MPG the most. The FEH/MMH '08 I think has auto climate control which should turn the compressor off if it reaches the set temperature. Those models like mine that have only a manual climate control will run the compressor any all the time the ICE is on and the switch is any position of the A/C mode. The battery has a auto control system.

Remember to only use normal recir to keep the cool cabin air as long as possible when the ICE is off. Normal A/C mode will bring in outside air and heat the cabin quicker. It's better to turn the system off in EV.

Here in South Florida, the A/C is a must during the heat of the day during the summer, so I try to use the FEH early morning when I can. This will be my third summer and I will break my record with all my new techniques and shoot for 43-45mpg tank averages with A/C use.

It is important to know that there is hot coolant circulating in the duct system of the cabin A/C at all times via the heater core. This heats the recir cooled air fairly fast while the compressor and ICE is off. To add insult to this fact, Ford installed an electric motor to continue to pump this heated coolant through the heater core while in EV. The FEH/MMH uses a mechanical belt driven coolant pump for the engine. The reason they added the electric pump is to provide continuous heat to the cabin in the winter during EV use. It's best to turn the climate control system off to save energy in EV if you don't need the heated coolant. I'm going to take things a step further and put valves and returns so heated coolant does not flow through my heater core and the cabin duct system so A/C air can retain the cool air longer. This should cool the cabin faster on hot days and allow it to remain during EV much longer. Stay tuned!

GaryG

06-07-2007 03:21 AM

ex-EV1 driver

Unfortunately, despite how efficient our cars may become, the process of air conditioning will always consume a lot of energy unless someone comes up with a better way to cool air. Unfortunately, because hybrids use so much less fuel for driving, it appears that the airconditioning uses up more MPG for them than it does for pure Internal Combustion Engine (ICE). The reality is that it consumes just as much per hour as it would with pure ICE but we don't notice because the ICE has wasted so much fuel.

06-07-2007 07:28 AM

Labbett Family

Thanks!

Once again, the Hybrid gurus come through. I kind of figured there was no way around the A/C thing, but your explanation clears it up for me. Thanks so much for helping a Hybrid "newbie.":D